Draft-rigging for cars.



A. C. IVicCORD.

DRAFT RIGGING FOR CARS.

APPLICAUON man JULY u, 191e.

l mm Patented July 23, 1918.

m1712111 C. 11100011.11, 0F 0111.619910, lLlINOlS.

Spcccation of Letters Patent.

ratenteu uuiy aa, rare,

Application filed. July 17, 1913. Serial No. 779,532.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l[, ALVIN C. ll'lcCono, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of llllinois, have invented certain new 'and use ful llmprovements in Draft-Rigging for Cars; and ll do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to draft rigging of the type disclosed and broadly claimed in my prior Patent 763,998, of date July 5th, 19011, entitled Draft rigging for cars. ln my said prior patent there is disclosed and broadly claimed a novel cooperative arrangement of one or more cushioning springs and one or more so-called differential levers, operative differentially to increase the cushioning power of the rigging.

1n my pending applications, Serial Numbers 391,708 and 391,709, both filed of date September 6th, 1907, and both entitled Draft rigging for cars, 1 disclose and claim certain improvements on or 'modifications of the construction disclosed and broadly claimed in my said prior patent above identified. ln my pending application 739,089, filed of date December 28th, 1912, entitled Draft rigging for cars,7 ll disclose and claim certain novel connections between the draw bar and yoke or casing, whereby a lateral Hexibility between the draw bar and yoke is established and certain other im' provements accomplished.

The draft rigging which is the subject of the present application involves an organiaation incorporating certain of the novel features of my said prior patent and several applications above identified, and certain improvements thereon or' refinements thereof, which have been evolved in a late commercial form of the draft rigging.

v1n the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved draft rigging, some parts being broken away; v

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line m2 m2 on lFig. 1; and

lllig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line w3 m3 on lFig. 2,

'lhe numeral 1 indicates the draft sills or center sills of the car, the saine, as shown, being of channel iron construction. 'llhe numeral 2 indicates draft lug plates which are securely riveted to the sills 1, and are formed with front and rear draft lugs 3 and. l, respectively. Longitudinal slots 5 are formed in the sills 1 and draft lug plates 2, for a purpose which will presently appear. The coupler draw bar 6, at its rear end, carries a heavy transversely projecting key 7 that detachably fits a transverse slot therein and projects through and is adapted to slide in the slots 5 of the sills 1 and plates 2. Removable pinsor cotters 8 in the ends of the key 7 normally hold the same iii working position. 'lhc slots 5 are of such length as to permit the required inward and outward movements of the key and draw bar.

rllhe gearl casing 9, which is preferably a steel or malleable casting, is formed with lat erally spaced side portions that join a hollow rectangular body portion 10, the sides of which, in turn, have projecting lugs 11, serving as inner followers and normally engaging the inner draft lugs i. rllhe top and bottoni walls of the rectangular front and sti'uo ture 10 of the said casing 9, are formed with integral, forwardly projecting upper and lower draw arms 12, the front ends of which are formed on their opposing faces with headed trunnions 13. 'lhe trunnions 13 are axially alined and move pivotally and slide longitudinally in longitudinally extended slots 11 of the socalled draw bar pocket 15. rlhe said slots 14: are open at their front ends, so vthat the trunnions may be slid into and out of the slots, and they are formed with flanges that interlock with the flanged ends of the said trunnions and hold the draw arms 12 against spreading movement. .The draw bar pocket 15, in cross section is of hollow rectangular form, adapting it to be loosely telescoped onto the inner. end of the draw bar. rlFhe said pocket 15 is provided with longitudinal slots 16 through which the draw bar key 7 projects thereby coupliii the said pocket to the said draw bar, an through said pocket, to the draw arms 12 of the casing.

r1`he inner end of the draw bar, and preferably also, the inner end of the pocket 15 normally bear against the outer follower 17, which latter is normally seated against the outer draft lugs 3. rllhis follower 17' has u,

sleeve-like extension 18, rectangular in cross section and telescoped into the hollow rectangular portion 10 of the yoke 9.

Vorking within the casing 9 is an intermediate or secondary follower 19 that is guided for straight line movement and held against rotation by engagement with guide ribs 20, formed 0n the inner surfaces of the sides of said casing 9. Preferably, the follower 19 and, also, the inner end portion of the casing 9, are vertically extended so that a pair of vertically spaced horizontal bulfer springs 28 are interposed between the same.

Differentially acting levers 21 and 22 are directly interposed between the outer follower 17 and the intermediate follower 19. These levers 21 and 22 are frictionally engageable with each other, and, respectively with followers 19 and 17. approximately at the longitudinal axis of the draft rigging, and they are pivotally connected, respectively, at 21al and 22a to the rectangular body portion 10 of the draft casing. The lever 2l engages a frictional surface 19a on the follower 19, and the lever 22 engages a frictional surface 17a on the follower 17.

Operation.

Under bumping strains, the draw bar 6 directly forces the outer follower 17 inward, the slots 5 in the sills permitting free inward movement of the key 7. rl`he form and arrangement of the levers 21 and 22 are such that the intermediate follower 18 will be nearest to the outer follower 17 when the parts of the rigging are in normal position, and will be moved farther away from the salne when the draw bar 6 is forced inward by a bumping force, or is drawn outward by a load pulling strain. Under a bumping force, the casing 9 and inner follower 11 remainstationary, while the outer follower 17 and intermediate follower 19 are moved inward, the latter at a higher rate of speed than the former. The sliding connection between the draw bar pocket 15 and the headed trunnion 13 of the casing arms 12 permits free inward movement of the draw bar, while the casing remains stationary in the bumping action. The slots 16 in the pocket 15, are not absolutely necessary. but desirable, because they permit the draw bar to be smashed back in a quick closing movement, without having to overcome the inertia either of the casing' or of the said pocket 15.

Under draft strains, the draw bar 6 is, of course, moved outward and the key `7 causes the draw bar pocket 15 to move outward with the draw bar, and the said pocket, in turn, causes the casing to move outward therewith. Under this movement, however, the differentially acting levers 21 and 22, reacting against the then stationary outer follower 17` cause the intermedia-te follower 19 to move inward or in adirection reverse from that of the movement of the draw bar and casing. Thus it will be seen that the springs 23 are, under both bumping and draft strains. given an accelerated compression; that is. a compression due to a movement greater than the draw bar movement.

When coupled cars are on the curve. the draw bars may move pivotally on the trllnnion lil of the easing, and when the cars arc on the straight track. or when the couplers are released, the tension of the sprinejs 23 will force the draw bars into central positions, by pressing the inner ends ofthe draw bar and the pocket 15 against the outer face of the outer follower 17.

'llen the key 7 is removed from working position, the draw bar may be pulled out of the pocket 15. Preferably. the allowable travel of the key 7 in the slots 5 of the sills, is the same as the permissible movement between the outer follower 17 and the outer end of the rectangular portion or casing section 10 of the volte 9. so that the said key is caused to cooperate with the draft lugs in taking final shocks produced either under bumping or draft strains, when the gear is solid.

iVhat I claim is:

1. In a draft rigging for cars, the combination with sills having inner and outer draft lugs, of a draw bar, a draw bar pocket telescoped onto the inner end of said draw bar, a key connecting said draw bar pocket to said draw bar, a casing in the form of a casting having rigid forwardly projectingr arms so connected to said pocket by an interlocked sliding )ivot as to permit a sliding movement whiie retaining the interlocked pivotal connection, said casing being seated against said inner draft lugs, a follower` normallyseated against said outer draft lugs, and cushioning means interposed between said follower and casing.

In a draft rigging for cars, the combination with a draft gear casing having rigidly projecting arms, of a differential draft gear within said casing, and a draw bar having a plvotal and longitudinally slidable connection with said arms, whereby said draw bar may move pivotally in respect to said casing, and may move rearwardly independent of said casing and forwardly with said casing.

3. In a draft rigging for cars, the combination with a draft gear casing, and differential draft gear therein, of a draw bar pocket connected to said casing with freedom for pivotal and longitudinal sliding movements 1n respect thereto, and a draw bar extended into said pocket and detachably connected thereto.

4. In a draft rigging for cars, the combination with a draft casing and a frictional draft gear therein, of a draw bar pocket connected to said casing by headed trunnions and coperatmg trunnion seats permitting pivotal and longitudinal sliding movements of said pocket in respect to said casing, a draw 'bar extended into said casing, and a key detachably connecting said pocket to said draw bar..

5. lln a draft rigging for cars, the combination with a draft gear casing and a frictional draft gear therein, of a draw bar pocket connected to said easing by headed trunnions and coperating trunnion seats permittingpivotal and longitudinal sliding movements of said pocket in respect to said asing, a draw bar extended into said pocket, a. key detachably connecting said pocket 'to said draw bar, said pocketl having longitudinal slots through which said key is passed, said slots being longer than the width of said key and arranged to permit the draw bar and key to move inward without moving the said casing therewith, but causing the said pocket and casing to move outward with said draw bar.

6. lln a draft rigging for cars, the c0mbination with a draft gear casing having an integral case section and rigidly projecting arms terminating in headed trunnions, of a draw bar pocket having Hanged slots in which said trunnions are seated with an interlocking action, for pivotal and longitudinal sliding movements of said pocket in respect to said casing, a draw bar projected into said pocket, a key connecting said arms and pocket, an outer follower normally engaged with the inner end of said draw bar, an intermediate follower mounted in said casing, a buffer spring compressed between said intermediate followe and the inner end portion of said casing, and cooperating frictional elements interposed between said intermediate and outer followers.

7. ln a draft rigging for cars, the combination with a draft gear casing having cast integral therewith a rectangular body section, axially projectingdraw arms and laterally project-ing lugs, the latter adording a rear follower, of a draw bar connected to said draw arms for pivotal and longitudinal sliding movements, the outer front follower normally seated against the inner end of said draw bar, an intermediate follower located inward of the rectangular body section of said casing mounted to slide longitudinally within said casing, buffer springs interposed between said intermediate follower and the rear portion of said casing, and levers located within and pivoted to the rectangular body section of said casing and engaging with each other and with the said outer and intermediate followers.

lin testimony whereofl affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVlN C., MGRD.

Witnesses:

lLUoInN E. HABDING, B. A. Mrnnnnrranrr. 

